Romania received encouraging signals from the European Union authorities and the Danube riverside countries about the country's plans to build new hydro-power plants on the Danube river in joint venture with Bulgaria, hydropower producer Hidroelectrica officials said Tuesday.

"We have already talked with Bulgaria on projects downstream
from Iron Gates 2, namely at Turnu-Magurele, Macin and
Silistra-Calarasi," Hidroelectrica's operation director Dragos
Zachia said during the Mediafax Talks about Energy conference.

The state-owned hydropower producer equally invests in the
upgrade of older units as well as in new electricity production
units.

Thus, the company aims to annually invest over EUR300 million,
60% of which in new units and 40% in upgrading older ones.

Between 2009 and 2012, Hidroelectrica plans to invest EUR560
million and forecasts to increase the electricity production by 1
TWh per year.